Plans to demolish a fire-ravaged Cambridge guest house and replace it with flats are likely to be given the green light by councillors - despite 18 complaints including one about the safety of bats.

In November (2017), the News told how developer Twenty Nine Architecture has submitted plans for 14 flats to replace Lovell Lodge guest house.

The flats would be a mixture of one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats.

There are proposals for six car parking spaces at the new site - the same as the 23-bedroom hotel - and 18 cycle parking spaces. There would be a communal garden.

A report due to go before councillors on Wednesday (January 10) states that the existing building “has limited architectural merit” and that demolishing Lovell Lodge would be “acceptable” as it has no protected status to safeguard its demolition.

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What happened to Lovell Lodge?

Lovell Lodge, which was a family-run hotel with 23 en-suite bedrooms, has stood empty since a fire ravaged through the guest house on June 5, 2016.

The blaze started during breakfast time in the kitchen and caused "irreplaceable damage" to the building and the roof.

Milton Road was shut while emergency services dealt with the Lovell Lodge blaze

The fire service said the blaze was "fuelled by years of build-up of fat and grease".

Six crews from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue tackled the flames, with the hotel evacuated and up to 40 people being led to safety.

No-one needed hospital treatment.

Firefighters at the scene of the Lovell Lodge fire in 2016

Flats plan would “enhance the character and appearance of the area”

Cambridge City Council’s planning committee are now due to discuss the proposals for Lovell Lodge at a meeting on Wednesday (January 10).

The proposed development would provide an “acceptable living environment” for future occupiers and would “enhance the character and appearance of the area”, a report published before the meeting has said.

The report also noted that 19 nearby residents made representations to the council opposing the application – with just one representation in support of the proposals.

The supporting representation claimed the “well designed scheme” would provide much needed accommodation in the area and was an “improvement on the current burnt-out hotel”.

But residents opposing the scheme raised numerous concerns, including one about the safety of bats that could be living in the burnt-out building, and another about the "awkward" design.

The building will not be in keeping with the surrounding houses in terms of height and scale

Insufficient car parking

Further car parking on the street will impede emergency vehicle access

Highway safety concerns regarding Milton Road/ Lovell Road junction

A ban on contractor vehicles parking in Lovell Road or the cycle way should be imposed

Overlooking/ loss of privacy

Overbearing/ enclosure

The consultation process was insufficient and should extend along Lovell Road further

If bats are roosting in the building then mitigation measures should be undertaken

poll loading

Should the plans for flats at Lovell Lodge be approved?

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Developers for the new proposals claim they were inspired by the “history and complexity” of the Golden Hind pub, which sits on the corner of Milton Road and Kings Hedges Road, as well as the “varied semi-detached properties” also nearby.

The proposals lodged with Cambridge City Council raised concerns about already limited parking – but the council report said the site is situated in a sustainable location and is “not wholly dependent on car parking as the main means of transport” for future residents.

However, Cambridgeshire County Council also raised concerns in the report that the development may impose additional parking demands upon the on-street parking on the surrounding streets – but was unlikely to cause any road safety issues.

The county council has recommended a series of conditions to lessen the impact on parking for other residents.

The proposals are in accordance with policy 6/3 of the Cambridge Local Plan (2006) which states that development will not be permitted which would result in the loss of existing short-stay tourist accommodation - unless the change is to permanent residential accommodation.

“Smallest flats would be 37 metres squared”

The proposed flats would have reasonable internal space standards, the report adds, with conditions in place regarding noise insulation given the location of the site to the busy arterial route of Milton Road.

The smallest flats would be “single-bedroom studio units that would measure 37m2 internally” which meet the space standards in the emerging local plan (2014).

The application also includes the removal of a cedar tree subject to a Tree Preservation Order - but replacement trees are planned “mitigate the loss of visual amenity” from both Lovell Road and Milton Road.

The developer must also contribute just under £18,000 to Browns Field Community Centre and open space and just under £9,000 for North Cambridge Academy under Section 106.

Police raise concerns over “problem with rough sleepers”

According to the report, Cambridgeshire police claim there were 199 crimes recorded around the Milton Road and Lovell Road area – but give no timeframe as to when the crimes occurred.

There are policing concerns over access control, cycle theft and the security of doors on cycle and bin stores as there is currently a problem with “rough sleepers finding bin stores to sleep in overnight”.

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Building would have “no harmful impact on neighbours”

There were also concerns about ‘overshadowing’ of nearby houses, but the report states that the proposals follow a similar building structure and thus would not “have a harmful impact on neighbouring occupiers”.

In the report, agenda item officer Michael Hammond writes: “The proposed building would be three storeys in scale, although it would only be marginally taller than the existing building and similar in height to that of the orthodox two-storey semidetached properties in the surrounding area.

“There is also an example of a modern development on the opposite side of Milton Road at Pringle House, 418A Milton Road.”

A CGI image of what the mix of flats to replace Lovell Lodge on Milton Road could look like (Image: Twenty Nine Architecture)

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